Local Youth Honored

Local Youth Honored at Digikids Film Festival

By Alison Bailin Batz

Senior Account Executive

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale partnered with the Microsoft Store

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale partnered with the Microsoft Store located at Scottsdale Fashion Square on Wednesday, May 14 to showcase young Club members’ excellence in the area of multimedia art as part of the Digikids Film Festival. The program encourages Club members to learn and practice in digital arts, including movie making, music making, and graphic design.

The young honorees and the public got the chance to view their movies on the big screen, at Harkins Theatre in Scottsdale Fashion Square. After the movie screenings, the festival moved to the Microsoft Store where a red carpet and awards presentation took place. Desert Ridge’s own Riely D., a 9-year-old member of the Club’s Vestar Branch, was named “Best Actress” for her work in “From Bully to Friends.”

Club members worked all year to master the skills of digital art through the program. The arts, which develops creativity and cultural awareness through all different types of mediums, is just one of five core areas focused on at the Boys & Girls Clubs. The non-profit organization also promotes leadership development, education, life skills and sports, fitness and recreation through their 100 youth development programs. “We fully support creativity through technology, and we’re excited to deepen our commitment to the Scottsdale communities by providing technology and resources to the Boys & Girls Clubs,” says Melissa Brewer, Community Development Specialist at the Microsoft Store. “We were so impressed by the grasp youth have today on software tools and technology.”

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, celebrating its 60th Anniversary throughout 2014, empowers 17,800 youth of all ages and backgrounds to develop the qualities needed to reach their full potential as productive, responsible citizens. The Club provides a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship and athletics, and high-impact youth development programs during critical non-school hours. Clubs are located in cities and on Native American lands in the greater Scottsdale area and promote academic success, positive character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. For more information, visit www.bcgs.org.